Of cublings, trolls, and other things
by Psychodahlia
Summary: Nightfall is pregnant and as a result Strongbow has a bad day


Strongbow was awakened by two things. One was someone calling out his lifemate's name at a high decibel, the other was that same person stepping on his stomach. Sitting up and gasping for breath an unfamiliar sight met his eyes.  
  
Nightfall was crying. More than that, she was crying on Moonshade's shoulder. After blinking a few times Strongbow decided to ignore this odd bit of female bonding, or whatever it was, as best he could and go back to sleep. He was prevented by this when Clearbrook decided to enter his den and accidentally stepped on his hand.  
  
"Clearbrook, what are you doing up so early?" Moonshade asked over the sobbing Nightfall's shoulder.  
  
"Treestump and I had plans for an early hunt." Clearbrook paused and took in the scene. "What's wrong with Nightfall?" Moonshade shrugged.  
  
**Clearbrook.?**  
  
"Yes?"  
  
**You're standing on my hand."  
  
"Oh! I'm sorry Strongbow." Clearbrook moved her foot and went to kneel by Moonshade and the still sobbing Nightfall. Strongbow turned over and was almost immediately prevented from taking up his rest when Krim entered the den.  
  
"By all the souls in the Palace what is that racket.oh."  
  
Moonshade looked at her questioningly. "What do you mean 'oh'?"  
  
"I mean she's pregnant and acting like it."  
  
Clearbrook and Moonshade looked at each other and in unison chorused "Of course!"  
  
Krim looked amused and settled down in the den where Strongbow had originally been sleeping peacefully. She did not notice his glare of death .  
  
"Of course!"  
  
"We should have known."  
  
"She's pregnant so naturally."  
  
".she'd be upset." A new voice joined in. All four current inhabitants of Strongbow and Moonshade's den looked up to see Shenshen standing in the entrance way. Crawling in the den, she bumped into Strongbow ("Opps, sorry Strongbow.") and sat down by Krim. "Leetah was like this all the time when she was pregnant with the twins." The rest nodded.  
  
Strongbow had had enough. There was a sobbing Nightfall and three other uninvited females in his den, none of whom seemed in a hurry to leave, and it was clear as a brook that he was not going to get any more sleep. Shaking his head he decided to look for his leathers and find someplace else to sleep.  
  
Ah yes, there they were.  
  
Across the den.  
  
Past Shenshen.  
  
Past Krim.  
  
Beyond Clearbrook.  
  
Behind Moonshade and the still crying Nightfall.  
  
Strongbow sighed and decided to leave without his clothes. Wasn't like any of the tribe was shy or anything, in fact it was just yesterday that he had heard Treestump and Clearbrook going at it.  
  
Strongbow shook his head to get rid of that thought and started climbing out of his den.  
  
"ROTTEN FISHGUTS, I COULD HEAR YOU FIVE ALL THE WAY DOWN BY TREE STUMP NEAR THE BROOK!!!" Khavi screamed. It wouldn't have been so bad if she just hadn't screamed directly in Strongbow's ear. He reeled out of her way, twitching. Khavi climbed in the den and was followed by Aroree, who, thankfully caused no bodily harm to the archer as she glided over behind Moonshade and Nightfall and settled there. Strongbow offered a prayer of thanks to the High Ones and started once again to make his way out of the den.  
  
Stomping over to where he heard voices, Strongbow was not surprised to find Cutter, Treestump, Pike, Skot, Zhantee, Tyldak, and lastly, Redlance who was holding a bloody rag over his face. Cutter was talking.  
  
"So she got mad and hit him in the..Strongbow?"  
  
**Anybody want to explain to me why the entire female population of the tribe has invade my den space and interrupted my sleep?**  
  
There was a collective "Umm."  
  
**Thought not. Redlance!**  
  
"Yeth?"  
  
**Since your lifemate's intrusion started the whole thing, care to tell me why she was crying?**  
  
"Sthee wanthed to go hunthing and I askehd her ifh sthee thoug sthee shuud do it wihh the baby and sthee hit me in the noseth and ran outh crying."  
  
Pause. Blink blink. **What did he say?**  
  
"Didn't you hear him? He say 'Sthee wanthed to go hunthing and I askehd her ifh sthee thoug sthee shuud do it wihh the baby and sthee hit me in the noseth and ran outh crying.'"  
  
**Thank you Skot that really cleared things up.**  
  
Cutter sighed. "Redlance, send."  
  
**Nightfall wanted to go hunting and I asked her if she thought she should go when she's pregnant and she hit me in the nose and ran out crying.** Redlance sent.  
  
Strongbow really wanted to sympathize with the tree shaper. Really, he did. It was just that after having been stepped on, shouted at, bumped into and basically kicked out of his own den, he was not in a very sympathetic mood.  
  
**You idiot.** Was all he said before disappearing into Redlance's den. **Since my den has been taken over by every female in the holt I'll be in here sleeping if anyone wants me.**  
  
The conversation continued outside.  
  
"She really hit you?" Skot peered at Redlance.  
  
"Ye.." **Yes**  
  
"Because you asked if it was a good idea that she go hunting because she's pregnant?"  
  
**Yes** Skot shook his head.  
  
"It's cuz she's pregnant."  
  
**What does that have to do with anything?**  
  
"When women get pregnant, they start acting strangely." Pike explained. "Remember when Leetah was pregnant and she threw Adja out of her hut when he asked for healing?" There were nods all around. "And when Moonshade was pregnant and she broke Strongbow's bow because he told her to be careful?"  
  
"I remember that." Treestump muttered. "It was a really strong bow too. Always wondered how she managed to break it into so many pieces so quickly."  
  
"My point is," Pike continued "is that women get.strange when they're pregnant. Nobody knows how or why, just that they do."  
  
Tyldak shook his head. "Perhaps it is the wolf blood that makes them act so."  
  
"That doesn't explain Leetah though." Cutter mumbled.  
  
"Truth."  
  
There was silence all around that was broken by the thumping of boots on a tree branch that were made more to announce the arrival of an elf than from any lack in the talent of moving silently. It was Clearbrook.  
  
"Treestump, we decided to take Nightfall out for a hunt. Maybe that'll calm her down." She glared at Redlance. "Though she wouldn't need to be calmed down if SOMEONE hadn't upset her. Anyway, you and I won't be going for a hunt tonight." That being said, the usually calm elf stalked off in the direction from which she had come.  
  
The males glanced around at each other. Finally Zhantee spoke up. "Did she seem..slightly upset to anyone else?" Nods all around. "Thought so. Maybe it's contagious?"  
  
"What's contagious?" Tyldak asked.  
  
"Whatever causing Nightfall to act so..scary."  
  
"Nah." Skot shook his head. "Women only act like Nightfall when they're pregnant. Clearbrook's just being loyal to her sex."  
  
Nods of agreement all around. Treestump put his hand on Redlance's shoulder. "Don't worry Lad, Nightfall's just a little upset. She'll be alright when she's had the baby."  
  
**That won't be for over a turn of the seasons!**  
  
"Well."  
  
**I have to put up with that for more than a turn of the seasons?!?**  
  
"Nice going Treestump." Pike muttered. Cutter cleared his throat.  
  
"Since the women have left.why don't we go down to the troll caverns for some dreamberry wine!" He looked around eagerly. Nightfall's uncharacteristic display of violence towards her lifemate had left the tribesmen somewhat dejected and a visit to Old Maggoty's wineskin storage would do everyone some good.  
  
Within minutes, every male in the Holt, with the exception of Strongbow, was ready for a trip to the Troll Caverns.  
  
"Strongbow?" Treestump shook the slightly younger elf gruffly. "Rise 'n shine. We're all going down to the Troll Caverns."  
  
**You realize that I'm sleeping don't you?**  
  
Treestump frowned and shook Strongbow even harder. "C'mon. Maybe Old Maggoty will have some herbs or something for Nightfall so she won't get so.emotional." That did it. Strongbow was up and running to his den to get dressed so he could go and make sure Redlance asked about herbs.  
  
Once at his den however he noticed that his clothes were missing. One way or the other Strongbow now had no clothes. Snarling to himself he swallowed his pride and went to ask Treestump if he had any old leathers he could borrow.  
  
As it turned out he did. It would have been nice if they had fit but Strongbow contented himself with holding up the pants with one hand.  
  
In the troll caverns Picknose was all too happy to let them in. Oddbit was pregnant too and going through exactly was Nightfall was going through.  
  
It did not take long before the elves were drunk and the cavern was a mess. Redlance was sobbing, Pike was laughing and Cutter was reminiscing about Leetah and the twins. Then Picknose added his two cents about Trinket and before long, elf and troll were weeping on each other's shoulders.  
  
Oddbit was not pleased when she entered the cavern and found this.  
  
"PIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICKEY! How could you invite these nasty elves in and not tell me!"  
  
"Oddbit.."  
  
"Don't talk to me! You don't love me! You only want to get drunk with elves!" She turned her back on him with a huff and started to cry.  
  
"Oddbit my dreamberry, my sweet little mushroom, you know I love you!" Picknose stumbled over to her and laid a hand on her shoulder. Turning around she slapped across the face and shoved him out of her way. The robust troll stumbled over to the table and crashed into Strongbow and Pike. The orange haired drunk spilled his wine when the troll crashed and the purple liquid splattered Strongbow. Jumping to his feet the archer tripped and fell into Treestump's lap. They ended up in a position that would either make the yaoi fans screech with pleasure or scream with pain.  
  
Through it all, Skot couldn't stop laughing. Mentally cursing the Go-Back, Strongbow struggled to his feet and took a menacing step towards Oddbit.  
  
That menacing step would have been a lot more menacing if he had held on to the leathers he had borrowed from Treestump. Not only did Oddbit get to see more than she wanted to of the silent elf but she also got to see Strongbow trip on the leathers and fall flat on his face.  
  
Many bad things happened in the next five minutes. Many, many, bad things.  
  
Needless to say, the elves would not be welcome back in the troll caverns for a while.  
  
The sounds of Old Maggoty's cackling, Oddbit's screams and Picknose's curses fresh in their pointed ears, the male members of the tribe made their way back to the holt in silence. Maybe not in complete silence, since Pike and Skot kept on snickering, Cutter was sobbing over his lost family and Redlance was whimpering over the strain of his approaching family, but close enough to silence.  
  
When they reached the holt, the male tribe members took little notice of the fact that their women were back and simply crawled into their dens with the exception of Cutter, Strongbow, and Redlance.  
  
**D'you think she hates me?**  
  
"No Redlance, she doesn't hate you."  
  
**Just go in there and apologize for whatever she thinks you did. Don't just stand out here like a fool.**  
  
Redlance gulped, took a deep breath and walked toward the den he shared with Nightfall and Cutter. Strongbow and the aforementioned Chieftain sighed in relief. Their relief was not long lasting as the treeshaper turned around and quickly ran back. **I can't do it. What if she hates me?**  
  
Cutter started to say "She doesn't hate you." But was interrupted by Strongbow's sending.  
  
**Look Red, if you don't apologize to her then she's going to keep running to Moonshade. If she keeps running to Moonshade then I'm not going to get any sleep. If I don't get any sleep in my den then I will move into yours so that I do get some sleep.** Strongbow grabbed Redlance's shirt and lessened the distance between them. **You don't want me to move in with you. Understand?**  
  
Nod nod nod.  
  
**Say it.**  
  
"I don't want you moving in with me." There was a pause. "Hey I can talk again!"  
  
**Great. Now you can talk, tell her how you love and how sorry you are you ever suggested that she stay home instead of going hunting.**  
  
Redlance nodded and for a moment all three just stood there. **Move!** The moment ended and Redlance took off to find Nightfall while Strongbow just leaned against a tree while Cutter wisely kept his distance.  
  
The next night Nightfall did not invade Strongbow's den to cry on Moonshade's shoulder and all was once again well.  
  
********Several Years Later*********  
  
A young Tyleet giggled as she saw Strongbow coming back from the hunt. Giving a wild screech such a she had heard Khavi yell when she was hunting, the girl jumped from the tree branch and landed on Strongbow's shoulders. "Hey Strongbow!"  
  
**Hello cubling** Strongbow said, wincing slightly as Tyleet had just shrieked in his ear. **What've you been up to?**  
  
"I saw you and Moonshade down by the waterfall again yesterday." Tyleet frowned slightly. "I asked Mother what you were doing and she told me that it was something grownups did and that I should leave if I saw you two like that again. I didn't mean to spy but I wanna know what you two were doing so I asked Father and he said to go ask Mother and before I could tell him I already did he said something about the troll caverns and ran out and I asked Treestump and he just stuttered and went to find Clearbrook but he never came back and." Tyleet took a deep breath and went on talking. "And I wanna know!"  
  
Strongbow gave a rare chuckle and lifted Tyleet off his shoulders and set her down. **Your mother's told you about cubs and Recognition right?**  
  
"She said that when it happens the two elves have to do something really wonderful that only adults can do and." Tyleet stopped as Strongbow put his hand over her mouth.  
  
**That's right. And sometimes the two elves like doing what Recognition makes them do so they do it even when they don't have to.**  
  
"Oh." Tyleet was silent for a moment and Strongbow was pleased to see that he had quenched her thirst to know about the birds and the bees. "Know what Strongbow?"  
  
**Hmm?**  
  
"When I Recognize, I wanna be just like my mother."  
  
Strongbow twitched.  
  
Finite 


End file.
